Police testimony on death of Turkish teen

Thursday, March 13, 2014

ISTANBUL - Istanbul chief public prosecutor's office heard four police officers' testimonies concerning the death this week of 15-year-old teen Berkin Elvan, who was hit in the head by a gas canister during a police crackdown on the Gezi Park protests in June.

Four police officers serving at Istanbul Riot Forces Department gave their testimonies at the courthouse in Istanbul's Caglayan neighborhood in Kagithane district.

Officials said 20 police officers had given their testimonies so far.

Elvan's death on Tuesday triggered mass protests that gripped the country in the last two days.

The Gezi park protests started as a reaction to a construction project in Gezi Park in the Taksim district of Istanbul, quickly spreading to several other cities and leaving eight dead, including a policeman.